Cabinet for powdering and turning inside-out of rubber gloves



y 16, 1939- R. v. FOSTER ET AL 2,158,575

CABINET FOR POWDERING AND TURNING INSIDE-OUT OF RUBBER GLOVES Filed Jan.28, 1938 Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES CABINET FOR- POWDERING ANDTURNING INSIDE-OUT OF RUBBER GLOVES Application January 28, 1938, SerialNo. 187,428

4 Claims.

The invention relates to a dust proof cabinet of sheet metal used forthe powdering of surgical rubber gloves, as used in hospitals by doctorsand nurses. The powder on gloves permits them to be slipped on easilyand keeps hands comfortable by absorbing moisture while being worn.

The object of the invention is to confine to a small enclosed space thedust created by the powdering with talcum powder and turning inside outof surgical rubber gloves, preventing contamination of the atmosphere,and thereby safeguarding the health of workers.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a cabinet constructed in accordancewith an embodiment of our invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the device as illustrated inFigure 1 with the front wall omitted;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially onthe line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detailed view partly in section and partly inelevation of the mounting of the electric lamp as herein embodied.

The rectangular cabinet is entirely closed except for the door I inlower part of front wall.

A glass window 2 in upper part of front wall permits operator to watchher work.

In the lower part of front wall is a double door I, fitting well intoopening 3 which is shown by dotted line in Fig. 1, and is rendered dustproof. by a strip of felt 4, fastened along inside of edge of door.Metal hinges 5, 5, 5 hold door in place at the bottom of cabinet, andmetal catches 6, 6 are used to close the door. Talcum powder and glovesare placed into cabinet through this door.

Two round holes I, I allow operator to introduce hands and lower part ofarms into interior of cabinet after door is closed. Two canvas sleeves8, 8, fitting operators arms on outside of cabinet loosely enough as notto cause discomfort, prevent dust from flying out of cabinet duringpowdering procedure.

There are two shelves 9, 9 fastened to the inside of cabinet by means ofhinges I0, Ill. The shelves fold upward and are held when in uprightposition by means of hinged supports l I I I and brackets l2, [2. Whenfolded down, shelves meet in center of. cabinet, forming a completesurface. When in this position, shelves are supported by strips of metalI3, I3. Position of supports 1 I, II, when shelves are in this position,is shown by dotted lines on right hand, side of Figure 2.

With shelves in upright position gloves are shaken around in talcumpowder in bottom of cabinet until they are sufiiciently powdered. Aftergloves are powdered, they are placed in right hand side of cabinet; lefthand shelf is brought down to horizontal position; excess powder isshaken off gloves; they are placed on shelf. Then right hand shelf isbrought down forming complete surface on which to work. The gloves areturned inside out, one by one, and placed on right hand shelf. The lefthand shelf is brought into upright position and all gloves are put backinto talcum powder on floor of cabinet. The right hand shelf is broughtinto upright position. Hinges l0, ID are offset to allow a small spacebetween shelf and cabinet, so that powder collectedon shelves whileturning gloves slides back into bottom of. cabinet as soon as shelvesare brought into upright position, rendering shelves self-cleaning. Thesecond powdering is done in same manner as first one described above.

After second powdering is completed, one shelf is brought intohorizontal position, excess powder is shaken off gloves, and they areplaced on shelf.

Operator removes hands from cabinet and al lows powder to settle for ashort time, after which the gloves may be removed.

Our invention is intended to be used in hospitals. The rubber glovesworn by doctors and nurses during operations and treatments must belightly coated with talcum powder. The present procedure of powderinggloves is to sort them according to sizes, place them upon a table, turnthem around in a heap of powder, shake off the excess powder, turn thegloves inside out, repowder them, and pack gloves into muslin covers,one pair to each cover. The packages are then ready for sterilization orunsterile use. Large hospitals powder from two hundred to three hundredor more pairs of gloves daily and during this work an enormous amount ofdust is created contaminating the atmosphere and settling on clothing,furniture and floors and thereby endangering the health of all workersin the room. The person doing the powdering quite frequently suffersfrom loss of appetite and respiratory infection in spite of protectionafforded by wearing a face mask. The disadvantages of this presentmethod are clearly overcome by the present invention as the cabinetserves to confine the dust created during the powdering a p in of thegloves. With the use of our improved cabinet no separate room isrequired, no masks need be PATENT OFFICE worn, and aprons and caps arenot required for the protection of hair, clothes, etc.

The cabinet is illuminated by an electric lamp l4, fixed to center oftop wall inside of cabinet by means of a porcelain and metal fixture [5.The cable IB is led through a bushing I! to outside of cabinet. Thelight is operated by means of a switch 18 in cable on outside ofcabinet. A plug Is at end of cable connects to wall. .A half shade 20 onlight protects eyes of operator.

We claim:

1- A means for powdering surgical rubber gloves and the like comprisinga cabinet having a window in one of its walls to permit visual accesstherein, a wall of the cabinet having openings for the insertion of thehands and -iorearms within the cabinet, sleeves carried by said walldefining the openings and arranged exteriorly of the cabinet, shelveswithin the cabinet, means for hingedly connecting said shelves to:opposed .walls of the cabinet at a point above ;the "bottom of thecabinet, said shelves when lowered providing a false bottom, means forsupporting the :free .end portion of .the shelves when lowered with .theshelves substantially coplanar, .and means coacting with each of theshelves :for holding the same in a raised position.

v2. A means for powdering surgical rubber gloves and the like comprising'a cabinet having windows .in one .of its walls to permit visual access.therein, a wall of the cabinet having openings for theiinsertionOfI-thEEhaDdS and fore-arms within the cabinet, sleeves carried by said.wall

defining .the openings and arranged exteriorly of the .cabinet, shelveswithin the cabinet, means for"hingedlyconnecting said shelves to opposedwalls of the cabinet ata point above the bottom of the cabinet, saidshelves when lowered providing a false bottom, means for supporting thefree end portion of the shelves when lowered with the shelvessubstantially coplanar, means coacting with each of the shelves forholding the same in a raised position, and a hinge connection for eachof the shelves providing an opening when the shelf is raised to allowpowder upon such shelf to fall back upon the bottom wall of the cabinet.

3. Means for powdering surgical rubber gloves or the like comprising acabinet having a window in one of its walls, one of the walls of thecabinet having sleeved openings for the insertion of the hand andfore-arm of a person within the cabinet, shelves within the cabinethinged to walls thereof, said shelves when lowered being substantiallycoplanar and .spaced from the bottom of the cabinet, and means carriedby each of the shelves for maintaining the same raised.

'4. Means for powdering surgical rubber gloves or the like comprisingacabinet having a window inone of its walls, one of the walls of thecabinet having sleeved openings for the insertion of the hand andforearm .of a person within the cabinet, shelves within the cabinethinged to Walls :thereof, said shelves when lowered being substantiallycoplanar and spaced from the bottom of the cabinet, and means carried byeach of the shelves for maintaining the same raised, the outer endportion of each of the shelves having means engageable with the bottomof the cabinet for supporting said outer portion of the shelf whenlowered.

ROY V. FOSTER.

KATHERINE FOSTER.

